Unlocking the Potentials of Basic Laser Research: Insights into National Development

This invited talk highlights the pivotal role of basic laser research in driving technological advancements and fostering national development. The review emphasizes key experimental techniques, including laser-induced fluorescence, optical imaging, digital holography, and speckle interferometry, while exploring their diverse applications. The discussion covers how lasers are employed to study liquid-drop fragmentation in miscible fluids, providing insights into infusion processes in medicine, as well as their use in industrial optical imaging. Applications such as laser diode fluorometry for assessing fruits and vegetables in agriculture, infrared digital holography for 3D imaging and surface profiling, and laser optical microscopy for detecting malaria in plants, cataracts in animals, and environmental radon monitoring through alpha track analysis are thoroughly examined. The basic physical principles underpinning these techniques are outlined, along with the presentation of prototype devices and experimental results. This work underscores the potential of laser research to simplify complex physical phenomena, thereby fostering innovative solutions across medicine, agriculture, industry, and environmental monitoring.